MATCH SHIRT DONATED BY STEPHEN STAUNTON AND SIGNED BY HMSELF and THE IRISH TEAM WHO PLAYED THAT NIGHT (from Slovakia Away 07 while Steve was manager.)

No Eircom Logo. No squad number on the back. Slovakia and Date embriodered into shirt. Vicks stain on front.

Stephen Staunton (born 19 January 1969 in Drogheda, Republic of Ireland) was a professional footballer and is the current assistant manager of Leeds United. He enjoyed a distinguished career with Liverpool and Aston Villa, and became the Republic of Ireland's most capped player. He is also a former manager of Republic of Ireland.

Staunton made his debut for the Republic of Ireland in the 4–0 friendly win over Tunisia. He went to Italy with Jack Charlton's squad as the Republic of Ireland competed in their first ever FIFA World Cup finals. Staunton, the youngest member of the squad, played in every match at left back (though by now at club level he had also proved his usefulness as a central defender or midfield player) as the Republic of Ireland progressed to the quarter finals, when they were beaten by the host nation.

He also represented the Republic of Ireland at FIFA World Cup 1994 in the United States. Again, he played in each game as the Republic of Ireland succumbed in the second round to the Netherlands.

The Republic of Ireland failed to qualify for both Euro 96 in England and the 1998 World Cup in France, though Staunton was still selected regularly for the team.

The Republic of Ireland qualified for the 2002 World Cup held in Japan and South Korea. Coach Mick McCarthy, who had been Staunton's captain at the country's first World Cup 12 years earlier, selected him for the squad and following the departure of Roy Keane from the squad, due to a bust up with McCarthy, Staunton was appointed captain for the tournament.

Again, Staunton played in every Republic of Ireland game of the tournament, with the 1–1 group match draw against Germany on 5 June proving to be a very special occasion as it was his 100th appearance for his country. Together with Gary Breen, he formed an impressive central defensive partnership in front of Shay Given. Staunton remains the only footballer to have reached a century of caps for the Republic of Ireland national team.

Ireland's competition ended once more in the second round when they lost agonisingly to Spain in a penalty shoot-out after the game had finished 1–1. Staunton announced his retirement from international football immediately afterwards after setting a national record of 102 appearances. He is the only player to have played in every single one of Ireland's 13 World Cup finals games.

On two occasions he scored directly from corner-kicks. The first of which came in a 2-0 victory over Portugal on June 7th 1992, during a US Cup game in Boston and the second came in a 3–0 defeat of Northern Ireland on 31 March 1993 during a World Cup qualifier in Dublin.